Nandaime, Nicaragua (afuera de Granada)

For over two months I've traveled from McAllen, Texas in the north to Panama City in the south. I spent many weeks in Panama City as it's a comfortable metropolis, easy to move by foot and attractive with its spiking high rise towers, ocean, bay, and tropical rain forests. Now I'm heading north again and have returned to the Granada, Nicaragua region. Probably the most photogenic of any of the places I've been to on this widespread journey. These images are from today's day trip 20 kilometers southwest of Granada town. They are from much smaller Nandaime; its peaceful town center and surrounding countryside.

Tegucigalpa, Honduras

Tegucigalpa is a mountain city and has an old historic, thriving downtown with narrow streets. I was warned often of dangerous blocks and did not stay out late as it wasn't recommended. Too bad, as it has a good character for a city and the various urban zones seem well integrated with each other and easy to get from one to another. The above landscape near the market reminded me of El Greco's "Toledo".

Granada, Nicaragua

Granada is supposed to be the oldest colonial city in the Americas. I assume that means continously populated. It is very easy to photograph. Primarily because it feels relatively safe compared to other locations I've been to in Central America. It's a tourist town and perhaps the residents realize they have to put up with foreign photographers. I was able to walk the market without much fear of being assaulted and left my camera outside of my bag, where I kept it hidden in more dangerous settings. Granada feels quite similar to Antigua in Guatemala and also to San Cristobal de las Casas in Chiapas, Mexico. All three are famous tourist towns.

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Pictures of San Salvador, capital of El Salvador

I went up to the volcano on one side of San Salvador to hike, "el boqueron," the big mouth in english. I walked a long time through coffee cultivations and finally interesected with the main road. It started raining heavily and of course my shoes got soaked which is the worst part of rain. On the way down i discovered a garden around an electrical transfer tower and took the nature shots.

When I returned to downtown San Salvador I walked around and took the urban shots. The downtown area is packed with street stalls and has a bustling character. The surrounding suburbs are more upscale and packed with modern malls. Presumably, the downtown area is the most dangerous.

Tijuana, "Low Calorie Los Angeles"

Tijuana is the low calorie version of Los Angeles

Peregrinos en la esplanada de Basilica de Guadalupe, Mexico D.F.

Vast numbers of pilgrims come to the basilica to celebrate the appearance of the Virgen on December 12. Literally on foot and on bicycle from locations far from Mexico City. Many of them bring blankets and sleeping materials to camp out on the plaza during their stay.

After sunset in Vista Hermosa, San Agustin Etla, Oaxaca

Quilt of Metal Trash in Colonia Estrella, Oaxaca, Oaxaca

When I took a photography class decades ago at San Francisco State University there was a fellow who shot images of a yard and house in utter disorder, junkyard style. Those pictures fascinated me. Mexico is saturated with refuse put to work in some cases, like here, and just deteriorating in many others. Garbage isn't processed as well in Mexico as the first world. I've seen this fence and gate numerous times on walks and jogs up and down El Cerro del Fortin, the trademark hill above downtown Oaxaca that is also the site of the Gueleguetza Arena, where an annual pageant convenes indigenous groups from throughout the state for dancing and showing off their typical folk fashions and handicrafts.

Scenes from Mercado de Abastos, Oaxaca

The Mercado de Abastos is the biggest market complex in Oaxaca city and the state of Oaxaca. It's an exiciting place to be with an enormous variety of goods.

The market complex is bordered on one side by the Rio Atoyac, Oaxaca's river, although it now appears more of a creek.

In the mornings men wait for work on the east side of the complex.

Outside Metro Tacuba. Hundreds of informal market stalls radiate beyond this metro stop. Many pirated or black market goods are available.

Senora con su puesto en el centro. A woman with her stall near Hidalgo Metro in downtown Mexico City

Night in Nogales

This is one image from a slide show. I spent a few hours on friday nite strolling the main street of Nogales, Sonora. Nogales is the biggest border town along the Arizona border and has a somewhat unsafe, aggressive character. To see the complete slide show follow this link: http://public.fotki.com/charker/nogalesatnite/?cmd=fs_slideshow

Puerto Penasco, Provincetown, Fire Island?

I put the 3 names in the title together because this is the first attempt by a human being to combine them. they are the same species. before this moment, rocaportenses (spanish term for residents of rocky point/puerto penasco) were unknown to populations of the other two, and vice versus. like Cris Columbus, or more likely, the vikings, ive blended intelligence of the new world resort on the sea of cortez and the old ones hanging at the edge of the atlantic. like the viking discovery - this one might end up as the majority of mutations, sperms and seeds, failing to create something new and advantageous. how long will it be before andrew sullivan, john waters and kevin sessums are vacationing in Las Conchas instead of P-town? rhetorical question. probably not by next monday when im planning to return to Puerto Penasco. sadly i wont have much in common with the rocaportenses but equally ill be relieved of having to compare my own achievements to the great gay artists and intellectuals from the east should i have spotted one of them strolling along the malecon. ill be in my cultural tower of babel or behind a one way mirror, unable to find locals, for their lack of interest, to communicate with me in language of my values and interests. but i'll understand them, in english or spanish since i can and must if i don't want isolation sickness. i refer to the mexicans, gringos and pochos who dont know much nor care about gay, artistic, intellectual life in New York, San Francisco and Mexico City. that life i miss in the deserts. It had been a while since i'd spent much time in penasco. i felt too isolated and had lost interest. its a huge contrast to my life in manhattan for 18 years and san francisco for 8 years before that and the many long stays in Mexico City during the last decade. the growth is astounding in penasco, sometimes called the "Mexican Dubai". all the investment in tourist infrastructure and second homes for wealthy arizonans results in opportunities for mexicans from the south who migrate with much less money. they are creating humble communities spreading out into the vacant, enormous desert, such as the one pictured above on the side of town heading towards the Mayan Palace.